Neville and the War Museum
by bbll22
Summary: Neville is an Austerity engine built during the Second World War. He never forgets his time during the war and visits the Sodor War Museum to help himself. But as disaster strikes, what will happen to Neville and his precious War Museum?


Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Neville and the War Museum**

Neville is an Austerity engine who was built during the Second World War. He still remembers his duties during those hard times and from time to time wishes he was back there being as useful as he'd ever been. To help him remember his past and reminisce about his glory days, Neville visits the Sodor War Museum as often as he can. The Museum holds items from both World Wars and the Curator is always kind to Neville and makes him feel as welcome as possible, but no matter how hard the Curator tries, Neville still misses his most important hours of duty and would love to meet up with his old team once again.  
"If only..." he said to himself one day. "If only..."

Neville was working hard one day in the yards when all of a sudden he heard a car horn. The car soon stopped and out came the Curator of the War Museum. He had a wide smile fixed across his face and Neville wondered why he looked so happy.  
"What's happened?" he asked.  
"Good news Neville." replied the Curator. "We've been given Money to refurbish the Museum! It's going to look better than it ever has before!"  
"Oh wow!" said Neville excitedly. "When will it be finished?"  
"Soon enough..." replied the Curator. "We'll be having an open day to celebrate the refurbishment, and you are invited obviously!" Neville didn't reply as he was so happy for the Museum, he just couldn't believe it and as the Curator left, he was the happiest he'd been in a long time. For his driver and fireman, it was a welcome sight. Neville then hummed a tune for the rest of the day to celebrate for himself. Apparently, the tune was one he'd learnt from his team during the War, and he would never forget it, never ever. As Neville carried on his duties for the rest of the day, the other engines around him noticed how different he was acting.  
"Tis a wonderful sight eh, Douglas?" asked Donald jokingly.  
"Aye..." replied Douglas simply.

"It's nice to see him smiling..." added Toby. "He needs to be welcomed here, he really does..." All of them agreed as they carried on with their work as Neville jollily carried on with his in high spirits. As he chugged along the line he passed many people along the way who waved at him, and for the first time he whistled at them in reply, and felt a sense of friendship developing, something he'd never felt before.  
"This is so wonderful..." he said to himself as he chugged along the Sodor lines. He even passed The Fat Controller in his car as he did his duties. The Fat Controller was so happy to see him smiling on the Island, it was just so nice to see.

As the refurbishment of the War Museum was continuing, Neville came down one day to see for himself how it was going along. Obviously, he couldn't enter the Museum as there were no lines, but often the Curator would take photographs for him to show what was inside the Museum and how the new look was being done.

"It looks wonderful..." said Neville to the Curator.  
"Why thankyou..." replied the Curator. "Now I know you obviously can't let go of your past Neville, and that's why I am having a picture of you put up in the Museum as a record of your hard work. I'm even trying to track down an old photograph of you and your team together to make it so that their never forgotten." he then added as Neville once again said nothing in reply. This time, his driver thanked the Curator for a wonderful deed and making Neville feel a part of it all again. Then as Neville chugged away to carry on with his duties, he heard a propeller noise. He couldn't believe it when he saw who it was. It was none other than Sergeant the Spitfire who'd agreed to be an exhibit on the re-opening.  
"Allo Neville!" he said in his posh voice just as he was landing nearby the Museum.  
"Hello..." replied Neville shyly. "I can't wait to see you at the re-opening..." he then added.  
"Neither can I..." replied Sergeant. Neville smiled as he chugged away knowing that all that was going on with the War Museum was going along perfectly. Nothing could ruin the happy feeling that he had and that night at the sheds, Neville smiled widely in his sleep thinking about the Museum as it was now only a couple of days away from re-opening.

As the re-opening neared, Neville kept coming back with supplies to check on proceedings and was delighted with how it was. The re-opening was now just hours away and Neville could only think that after this nights sleep, he would officially be a Museum item, of sorts. He looked more eager than ever before, and the other engines couldn't tell if he had a problem with his boiler or if he was just excited.  
"He jiggling about a bit, isn't he?" joked Henry to James.  
"Yeah...I wonder if he ran over that Ant hill like I did the other day? They got in my boiler and it was horrid!" replied James quite seriously. Henry tutted to himself, he knew James was being serious, but he couldn't take him seriously at all. Then, as nightfall came once more, Neville calmed down and stopped jigging about and fell asleep knowing the Museum would be looking better than it ever had before. But as the work finished at the Museum and everyone had left, a window was smashed, and then the Burglar Alarm was raised, but the Police were too late as when they arrived they found some of the exhibits damaged and on the floor while some had been stolen and were gone altogether. Sergeant could have done nothing and he was so angry with himself as all he could do was witness the burglary happen.

"How can we open now?" he asked to the Curator who'd just arrived to see the damage that had been done.  
"I don't know..." he replied. "But...poor Neville..." he then thought. "Poor, poor Neville...he'll be devastated."

Morning rose and Neville was blissfully unaware of what had happened in the night. As he passed engine along the way to the Museum they looked on glumly at him. Some even said sorry to him, but neither him or his driver and fireman could work out what they meant by it. They then soon found out as they saw the Curator sobbing outside the main building.  
"What's the matter?" asked Neville.  
"We've been burgled...I'm so sorry..." replied the Curator. "The Museum is in a mess, we've got some damaged exhibits and some missing ones. I'm so sorry Neville..." Neville didn't reply, he just remained silent as the Police were in the background clearing up the mess. The Fat Controller was there too and he looked glum aswell.  
"Neville..." he said solemnly. "I am dreadfully sorry for what's happened, but we are trying to find who did this."  
"I understand, Sir..." replied Neville who then suddenly had a thought. "Sir!" he called out.  
"Yes Neville..." replied the Fat Controller.

"Why don't we still hold the re-opening? The mess can easily be cleared up. The exhibits that are still here can still be displayed and I can be an exhibit myself. I was built during World War 2, Sir!" said Neville as he was holding back his emotions.  
"Good idea!" replied the Fat Controller who immediately got everyone to work and soon enough the Museum looked better than it had some hours ago. Sergeant had been brought outside as an exhibit and Neville stood proud as an exhibit as the crowds gathered. Then in the distance, Neville recognised a face.  
"It can't be!" he cried out.  
"Oh I think it is Neville..." replied a voice. The man stood proud and saluted Neville immediately. "I thought I'd never see you again, but you've got your Fat Controller to thank for getting me here!" he continued. Neville was now overcome with emotion and as photographs were being taken between him and the man, he felt like he was back in the war. The man turned out to be Neville's old driver during the Second World War and they talked endlessly about their memories of the time, and then for the first time on Sodor, Neville felt happy to be here. He felt a part of the Sodor society and knew he was wanted, just like he was during the War. Neville was very happy indeed.


End file.
